The Birim River at Anyinam has once again taken on a polluted, brownish appearance just four days after the government’s Operation Halt conducted a decongestion exercise aimed at clearing illegal miners.
In a bid to combat illegal mining activities, commonly referred to as galamsey, the government deployed over 100 armed military personnel to various water bodies across Ghana.
During the operation, the military, in collaboration with the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, seized and destroyed three changfan machines on the banks of the Birim River on October 10. This river, a crucial water source, has faced significant pollution due to illegal mining, prompting urgent action from authorities.
The military task force’s first operation took place at Anyinam in the Atiwa East District of the Eastern Region, a known hotspot for illegal mining. Following organized labor’s push against these activities, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo directed the Minister for Defence to deploy additional military forces to reinforce “Operation Halt.”
On October 11, the task force also destroyed ten changfans, a pistol, and eight water-pumping machines on the Pra River in the Central Region. Despite these efforts, the swift return of pollution to the Birim River raises concerns about the effectiveness of ongoing measures against illegal mining.
Source: DEW360.NET
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